YOUR DAILY DIVE: Holy Week Monday

YOUR DAILY DIVE: Holy Week Monday

ON THE MONDAY OF PASSION WEEK, JESUS CLEANSED THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

SCRIPTURE:

Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS '? But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN." The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. (Mark 11:15, NASB)

STORY:

The Lord's Temple, God's dwelling place, was to be the holiest of all places on earth. It is where God's people would gather to worship and pray, seeking His forgiveness, guidance and blessings. But in Jesus' day, the Temple had been turned into a commerical operation where price gouging profiteers exchanged money and sold sacrificial animals, exploiting God's house of worship to pad their own pockets. Infuriated that His Father's house would be used for anything but pure and undefiled worship, Jesus upended the tables used for trade and threw out all of the wicket merchants. After the Temple was cleansed, Jesus began to teach God's Truth.

APPLICATION for today's Christ-follower:

The Bible tells us that when we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, God indwells us with the Holy Spirit. The heart of the Christ-follower is the Lord's temple (1 Cor. 3:16-17). The Lord asks us to worship Him with pure, undefiled hearts. But too often, we fill our hearts with worldy desires like fame and fortune that glorify ourselves and not God. What has set up shop in your heart, God's temple, that may be stealing space that rightfully belongs to Him?

PRAYER:

Father God, search my heart and reveal to me anything that is robbing You of Your glory. Give me the strength and courage to rid my heart of any worldly desire that is coming before You in my life. Teach me Your ways, that I amy walk in Your Truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name. And I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart. I will glorify Your name forever. Your lovingkindness toward me is great. You have rescued my soul from the pit of hell. You alone are worthy of my worship. In Jesus name and for His glory I pray. Amen.